The overwhelming force of the Emperor was brought against them, and they were again forced to submit. Still, so hated was the rule, that again and again the most resolute effort was made to throw it off. A large part of Charlemagne's reign was spent in this contest with heathenism, conducted in the most heathenish spirit. In defence of these measures, it was alleged that the idolatry of the Saxons was inseparably connected with their lawless and marauding practices, and that apart from the importance of converting them to Christianity, their idolatry must be suppressed, that the peace and prosperity of their neighbours might be secured. Ordinary ecclesiastics seem to have been satisfied with this view of the matter, but the best men of the age were indignant at the course pursued, as an outrage on the cause of Christ, which it professed to serve.

Abbot Alcuin was one of the most learned and excellent men of his day, and stood deservedly high in the esteem of the Emperor, and wrote letters to him and his courtiers full of Christian

faithfulness, wisdom, and love. We quote a few sentences. "Faith must be voluntary. There must be nothing compulsory in it. Men may be led, they cannot be forced to believe. A person may be compelled to submit to baptism, but this can be of no use in the work of faith. . . After a profession of faith and baptism, respect must be had to the necessities of weak minds, in the exposition of the divine commandments." Alcuin indignantly protests against the Saxons being compelled to support the clergy. He says, "Would that the teachers of the faith would conform themselves better to the example of the apostles; would that they would confide more in the loving care of Him who says, 'Take neither scrip nor purse,' and of whom the prophet says, 'Who hope in Him, He saveth.' These truly

Christian counsels and remonstrances

were not in vain. The Emperor's policy was not reversed, but it was deflected, so that increased effort was put forth to instruct the conquered people.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

with the aid of the Divine Spirit, to "stir up your pure minds, by way of remembrance, that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the apostles of the Lord and Saviour." I am

encouraged by the kind reception you have given me at different times, and also from the conviction that no one, more than a minister, prefers an address to be outspoken; he likes less a soft south wind than a stiff healthy breeze off sea or mountain. Oh, that I had the power of some men, to freshen the conscience as well as the intellect with such a breezy address! Let us pray that the Spirit may come as the wind.

to

My subject, a few days since, came

my mind; I say came, for oft we have to go in search of a subject. There are seasons, however, when a text flashes across the mind, and at once is opened to it the wisdom from above. To refuse to select the subject thus presented would seem to be "disobedient to the heavenly vision." This is my apology, if indeed one be expected, for addressing you on the question of Ministerial Faith. You know that every Lord'sday we ask our Churches if they really believe the truth which they hear; may we not also ask ourselves, Do " we also believe, and therefore speak?" Is all the unbelief in the pew, and none in the pulpit ? Alas, for "the abomination standing where it ought not." Our people tell us their doubts, but we do not tell them ours. I sometimes wish that small groups of ministers could be assembled, "the doors being shut," and that each one so shared the confidence of his brothers, that the inner ward of the heart "6 'opened to them of its own accord.' A man's life may seldom be eventful enough to justify him "writing memoirs of himself," yet that same life may have portions of unwritten history which, whispered into the ears of a com

panion, might confer everlasting benefit. As a rule, we prefer spoken to written diaries; at least, to diaries carefully written for publication. Probably we should find in these private ministerial gatherings that, in one respect, we were like "the college of fishermen" before the Pentecost, "slow of heart to believe all that the prophets had spoken."

Whilst we thank God for our civil and religious freedom, and for the spirit of inquiry in the present day, we feel that it is a day when a minister, and especially a young minister, needs to arm himself for "conflict with unbelief and half belief." "Thrice is he armed" who "smelleth the battle afar off," who will impartially examine a new theory before he accepts or rejects it, or who is prepared to dismiss certain novelties with the assertion, "I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them."

The recent utterances of Dr. Pusey, who seems to think there is not much difference between the Anglican and the Romish Church, and who desires a Concordat, may be regarded as the index of the power of superstition in some circles of religious society. We may laugh at the absurdities of the Romish Church, and think she can "lead captive silly women" only, or still more silly men; but does not history show that "she hath cast down many wounded, yea, many strong men have been slain by her." "We often hear it said," says Macaulay, "that the world is constantly becoming more and more enlightened, and that this enlightening must be favourable to Protestantism, and unfavourable to Catholicism. We wish that we could think so.

A very

common knowledge of history, and very little observation of life will suffice to prove that no learning, no sagacity, affords a security against the greatest errors on subjects relating to the invisible world. For these reasons we have ceased to wonder at any vagaries of superstition."

Is there no danger from another school? a school so "broad," that it admits disciples of nearly all shades of religious opinions; disciples either arguing, on a priori grounds, the impossibility of a miracle, and then hastily passing an unfavourable verdict on Christianity as a miraculous religion, or treating a book revelation as an absurdity, or accepting those portions of Scripture which the "verifying faculty" approves, and eliminating all that is supernatural and distinctive; a school which speaks of science as "the very bread of life to many," and says, that " formerly the best indication of a nation's progress was its religious conceptions, now the surest indication is its scientific conceptions;" a school that in its lay sermons on Sabbath evenings can proclaim through its oracles, "I say that natural knowledge in desiring to ascertain the laws of comfort, has been driven to discover those of conduct, and to lay the foundations of a new morality. The man of science has learnt to believe in justification, not by faith, but by verification."

Here, then, are the rival schools of tradition and rationalism; the one bowing down to the authority of a Church, the other to human reason; the one so exclusive, that it almost denies salvation to all out of its pale ; the other so inclusive that many of its disciples would build a Pantheon and recognize all religious

beliefs alike. In these schools diversity of opinions may exist, but such is the tendency of the teaching.

Let us not be unduly surprised at these errors. The professing Church has always had the schools of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and some of our Lord's most remarkable sayings were directed against them. If, therefore, we would learn our duty in reference to these or any other errorists, let us ascertain what the great Teacher has said in reference to these sects.

We gratefully own, that as a body of Christian ministers, we are agreed on the great verities of Holy Scripture; still, if ours be only the cold orthodoxy of a creed, intellect without heart, who shall predict into what error we may not diverge, into what opposite directions, we, like the Newmans, may not be drawn off?

I.

Will it not be wise that we, as ministers, examine our faith in reference to Divine Revelation ? Some students boast that their religious beliefs are few, but that the few truths believed they hold fast. Possibly some articles of our faith had better be dropped out of our creed, for they may be found traditions of men, mere human interpretations, additions which mar a confession of faith, and expose us to the charge that our faith stands "in the wisdom of men." Every trial of faith, therefore, which separates the dross, must be precious. Yet whilst rejecting the alloy, let us, like careful goldsmiths, not lose the gold, not even the filings. Men's opinions may be Shibboleths, but not so God's truths.

That there are difficulties in the

Bible, ministers, as well as others, readily admit. The apostle Peter alludes to "things hard to be understood" in St. Paul's Epistles, and Paul himself, awed in spirit at the unfathomable mysteries contained in his own inspired sayings, exclaims, "Oh, the depths!" I suppose that all present feel that while time sheds light on many subjectsilluminating the dark recesses of many truths--there is something about the atonement of our Lord Jesus which tells us that "we know in part," and that we 66 see through a glass darkly." We would not try to diminish the difficulty, if, indeed, it be to diminish it, by restricting our study to the human side of the doctrine, remembering that there is a Divine side, with its bearing on the moral government and character of God. What should we think of any of our brethren taking a one-sided view of the Person of Christ, and preaching only His humanity? Must we not take both halves of the precious truth? Forcibly did Isaac Taylor write, and the philosopher knows more about the doctrine now, "A doctrine this which in a particular manner refuses to be tampered with or compromised; and which will hold its own place or none. It challenges for itself not only a broad basis on which it may rest alone, but a broad border upon which nothing that is human may trespass."

Were we to allude in some circles to the doctrine of inspiration, how many questions would rise in the mind? What is inspiration? What parts of the Bible are inspired ? How distinguish between the human and the divine element? Is the Bible a revelation, or does it contain one?

VOL. II.-NEW SERIES.

Some men, who have never read controversial works, and have never gone into the enemy's camp to find out their weapons and movements, may have few anxious moments about responsibility for their beliefs. Not so with thoughtful men who daily ask for light from above, that they may believe neither too little nor too much, but whatever God has revealed.

II.

What is the degree of our faith in relation to prayer? The supposed difficulty in reconciling prayer with the Divine immutability may not shake your confidence. You may be able to find shelter in facts and arguments, and may have that best of all evidence, the witness in yourselves. Each one of you may be able to silence the objector by saying, "Verily, God hath heard me ; and He hath attended to the voice of my prayer." With faith in your theory, have you always had faith in your practice? Have all present the confidence in Him, "that if we ask anything according to His will He heareth us. And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him." The test of our faith, I humbly conceive, is not so much in adoration, confession, or thanksgiving, as in petitioning. When we supplicate for ourselves or intercede for others, do we then believe that God is, and that He is the answerer of prayer ?

Let us enquire respecting our public prayers in the sanctuary. As we have knelt down before all the congregation, and have spread forth our hands towards heaven, have we fully expected answers to our petitions? Have we looked for the cloud? Have we listened for the rushing wind?

K

Have we, from our tower, watched

to see what He will say unto us ? Have we, when rising to preach, expected, in answer to the prayer, the tongue of fire, and have we spoken "boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus?" Or has our timi

dity or depression betrayed a doubt that the prayer has been heard?

But public prayer is joint prayer, the minister praying not only for, but with the people; "the thanksgiving of the many," one "common supplication." There must be then, not only the faith of the minister, but "the mutual faith" of minister and Church; and, in order to this, there must be agreement that the things asked are 66 according to His will.” "I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth, as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." If we cannot appeal to the letter of this promise, may we not take the comfort of the spirit of it, and make it an argument and encouragement for social prayer? We must not only all sing but all pray in the same key; pray more definitely; pray with more hearty agreement of desires; pray so that there shall be no jarring thought or emotion; it must be a prayer of such intense feeling and concentrated earnestness-such symphonious prayer

that all the people shall say AMEN, and praise the Lord."

We rejoice that "the prayer of faith" is no strange thing in our pulpits; yet who will not cry with the apostles, "Lord, increase our faith!" Some of our forefathers in the ministry are remembered, not only as "great preachers," but as great intercessors-great in the gift

and grace of prayer. Oh, who would not be in prayer as Abraham, that "drew near," " and interceded for souls, waxing bolder and bolder with the Lord, making every answer a plea for still larger expectations ? Who would not be a Jacob wrestling with the angel to the break of day, wrestling until the blessing came? Who would not have the energy of Moses, holding back the arm of Omnipotence, and causing the threatening to pass into a promise? Oh! for Elijahs in all our churches that shall pray earnestly, open the very windows of heaven, and bring down showers of blessings. Oh! for Samuels that stood before the Lord. Oh! for Pauls that shall not cease to pray for the people; "night and day praying exceedingly." And why should we not expect in our churches such mighty men? These men of old were subject to like passions as we are, and felt groanings which could not be uttered, but the Spirit helped their infirmities. Will He not help ours?"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man," and therefore of a righteous minister, "availeth much." How much, who can tell? If in all our churches, "the spirit of grace and supplications" were poured out this year, should we not have " power with God," yea, power over the Angel and prevail?" Would it not be that when we had prayed, the place where we were assembled together would seem, as of old, to be shaken? Should we not be filled with the Holy Ghost? Should we not speak the Word "with boldness?" While we were speaking in prayer, and praying and confessing our sins and the sin of our people, at the begin

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